21-year-old virgin Hazel Dyson lost 12 ½ stone and gained a boyfriend

Every girl dreams of falling in love, but for 27-year-old Hazel Dyson there was always one thing holding her back – her weight.

For years Hazel had been a compulsive eater, and by the age of 21 she weighed 22st 7Ibs and was hopelessly single.

The turning point was a GP appointment in 2008, when Hazel was warned that if she didn’t take control of her weight she’d need a hip replacement by the time she was 30. She told the Daily Mail: ‘I was absolutely mortified. Up until then, I’d blamed my size on my polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but I knew then that I had to stop making excuses.’

At her biggest Hazel hardly left the house (Picture: HotSpot media)

Shortly after Hazel joined her local Slimming World group, determined to lose weight and find love, she explained: ‘I dreaded the first Slimming World meeting…but I knew that if I didn’t face my fears, I’d be stuck at that size forever – and I didn’t want that any more. I wanted my happily-ever-after.’

And five years later she’d reached her goal. By her 26th birthday she had lost an impressive 12 ½ stone, and felt confident enough to join a dating website.

What a difference five years make (Picture: HotSpot media)

And despite her initial fears, Hazel soon discovered she was a bit of a hit with the opposite sex: ‘Every time I signed into my account, I had a new message from someone asking me out on a date. I couldn’t believe it. For the first time in my life, men thought I looked good enough to have on their arm.’

Before long she had met her Mr Right… well Mr Right for now, and although their relationship ended after 9 months, Hazel is still feeling optimistic about the future: ‘It’s taken me six years to get where I am, and I finally have the confidence to chase life – and love – like I’ve always wanted to.’